His annual wastebook has regularly provided valuable information for taxpayers regarding the specific ways the federal government wastes money. In it, the retiring oklahoma senator laces into the national institutes of health for complaining about lack of. Tom coburns legacy citizens against government waste. He spots items throughout the year and fires them off in emails collected by his legislative director, roland foster. The wonder is that the waste isnt vastly greater than being reported given the perception that the federal government is a. Tom coburn s annual wastebook, a ranking of 2014s top 100 worst examples of government waste, including outofthisworld spending on research. Between 2011 and 2014, the annual publication was called the wastebook. Saturday january 28th, 2017 posted by craig eyermann at 10. For years, senator tom coburn rok resisted the temptation to talk in broad. Oct 22, 2014 tom coburn is going out with a bang with his final wastebook. Somebody please alert billionares warren buffett, ted turner, bill gates and tom steyer that higher taxes will not necessarily lead to a more efficient and effective federal government. The only way to stop wasteful washington spending is by. Oct 23, 2014 oklahoma republican senator tom coburns final edition of his wastebook lists 100 ways that the federal government is wasting taxpayer dollars on wacky, useless, and exasperating projects.
Tom coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in final. Tom coburn, author of wastebook, was fearless in fighting what he described as stupid spending. Wastebook 20 1 washington has reversed the wisdom of the old cliche that less is needed when less is wasted. Coburn s final 2014 wastebook is funny, sad, and outrageous. Senator tom coburns government oversight legacy thehill. House of representatives in 1994 as part of the republican revolution. Senator flake reveals wastebook 2017 foundation national. Today, senator tom coburn released a new report on government waste called wastebook 2011. A member of the republican party, he was a united states representative and later a united states senator from oklahoma. Being listed in a wastebook can be scary, but researchers come out. Dec 21, 2010 what senator coburns list of fraud, abuse, and overspending doesnt tell us. Tom coburn, the retiring senior republican senator from oklahoma and notorious deficit hawk, has released a. The report features several examples of frivolous government spending first uncovered by the washington free beacon.
Oct 22, 2014 senator s wastebook notes that getting rid of the practice of pork barrel spending is next to impossible. In the 2014 edition of the wastebook, coburn notes that getting rid of the practice of pork barrel spending is next to impossible. After senator tom coburn retired, no longer exposing outrageous federal boondoggles in his wastebook, senator james langford has taken up the cudgels, issuing his first edition of federal. Every branch of government bickered this year over the need to spend more while continuing to misspend with an attitude of waste more, want more. Tom coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in. With no one watching over the vast bureaucracy, the problem is not just what washington isnt doing, but what it is doing. Senator is frequent critic of government waste %2c. Senator tom coburn rok speaks to reporters on wastebook 20, his annual report on egregious federal spending.
Wastebook does not question whether the studies are within. Today, his office has published the fifth edition of his annual wastebook. Coburn report reveals waste citizens against government. He said to cbs news nancy cordes in a recent interview, where was the adult in the room when this was going on. Oct 22, 2014 these expenses all feature in oklahoma sen. From defense equipment to the downright bizarre, the oklahoma senator highlights it all in his latest report. Most wasteful government programs of 2010 abc news. Coburn lost yearslong battle with cancer former senator tom coburn, rok. In it, the retiring oklahoma senator laces into the national institutes of health for complaining about lack of ebola research. Carl levin carl milton levin senator tom coburn s government oversight legacy the trumpification of the. What is the total amount of government waste identified by sen. His annual wastebook has regularly provided valuable information for. The only way to stop wasteful washington spending is by shining a light on it whenever and wherever it occurs, even if it is in your own state, says sen. Tom coburn was always going to be a tough act to follow when it came to producing the colorful wastebook that he and his staff produced every year to document what they saw.
Senator s wastebook notes that getting rid of the practice of pork barrel spending is. Oct 24, 2014 each year, coburn and his staff pick out governmentfunded projects many sciencerelated that they declare a waste of resources. Arizona senator jeff flake released his annual 200page catalogue of egregious government spending today. Agencies beg to differ with entries in senators wastebook. Giant joint, treadmill for fish highlight wastebook 2016. He said to cbs news nancy cordes in a recent interview, where was the. The federal spending wastebook is outrageous in more.
Oklahoma senator tom coburn releases his annual wastebook. Senator coburn always said that he hoped there would be 535. Now, perhaps more than ever before, we could use senator coburn and his. And financially secure, free of corruption, waste and fraud. Tom coburn is going out with a bang with his final wastebook. The report highlights 100 silly, unnecessary, and low priority projects funded by federal tax dollars or. Coburn report reveals waste citizens against government waste.
Theres a reason politicians are always loath to cut government budgets. Wastebook 20 us senate, united states government, coburn m. Coburn publishes wastebook 20 committee for a responsible. Senator coburn highlights ridiculous government spending. Oct 27, 2014 the senators annual summary of wasteful spending is entitled wastebook followed by the year of its publication. It is clear from the reports of the government accountability office, senator coburn s annual wastebooks, citizens against government waste s annual pig book, and many other analyses, that when addressing a newly discovered problem, congress doesnt even check to see if there already is a government program addressing it. Senator coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in. Coburns snarky takes on stupid spending made waves and inspired a new generation of lawmakers and. The wastebook facebook page is a joint project of senator tom coburn and senator mark kirk to expose wasteful, duplicative and inefficient spending of. Tom coburn was always going to be a tough act to follow when it came to producing the colorful wastebook that he and his staff produced every year to document what they. Nov 19, 2015 from 2008 until he retired from the senate in january 2015, sen. Former oklahoma senator tom coburn dead at 72 peoples. Wastebook definition of wastebook by the free dictionary.
Jan 10, 2017 senator flakes report highlights the need for improved oversight of federal spending, especially grants being issued by executive agencies and departments. During his 17 years as a senator and representative, senator tom coburn r okla. In his press release announcing the publication of his annual wastebook summarizing 100 examples of egregious, wasteful, and outrageous government spending, oklahoma senator tom coburn tried to make himself appear holier than thou by distancing himself from the rolling disaster in washington. Senator s wastebook notes that getting rid of the practice of pork barrel spending is next to impossible. Wastebook, earmarks, and congress power of the purse. Coburn releases annual wastebook highlighting most egregious. Highlighted in the annual wastebook report on government spending, the 28foot joint, which also looks like a smashed car, was. Taxpayers should be disappointed in such wasteful spending, but should be encouraged that some in congress are making an effort to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. John mccain raz took up the cause after coburn retired. Wastebook 2015 the unrelenting wasteful spending of washington.
Coburn as oklahomas junior senator, appears to be the closest to mirroring the wastebook. Carl levin carl milton levin senator tom coburn s government oversight legacy the trumpification of the federal courts global health is the last bastion of bipartisan. What senator coburn s list of fraud, abuse, and overspending doesnt tell us. The case against stupid spending in covid19 crisis. Thomas allen coburn born march 14, 1948 is an american politician and physician. James lankford has cataloged some of the governments spending on usual or. From 2008 until he retired from the senate in january 2015, sen. During his 17 years as a senator and representative, senator tom coburn rokla. A republican senator has drafted what he calls a wastebook a guide. Tom coburn was always going to be a tough act to follow when it came to producing the colorful wastebook that he and. Wastebook 2014 the report washington doesnt want you to read reveals the 100 most outlandish government expenditures this year, costing taxpayers billions of dollars. Coburn is retiring at the end of this year after a decade in the senate, meaning the 239page, meticulously footnoted volume he is releasing wednesday will be his final wastebook as senator. This report proves that the federal government is a poor allocator of resources. Here are the most wasteful government projects in 2019.
Some of the projects listed within this report may indeed serve useful purposes or have merit and. Senator jeff flake raz will unveil the latest edition of wastebook, an annual report begun by former senator tom coburn rok detailing some of the outrageous ways washington is wasting. Dec 21, 2010 senator tom coburn rok has put out a new study on government waste called wastebook 2010. The federal spending wastebook is outrageous in more ways.
Tom coburn, the physician and oklahoma republican, has outdone himself in his yearly search of stupid wasteful spending for his famed wastebook. He has just releases wastebook 2015 and trust me, as you will see below, the wasteful spending on idiocy continues unabated under the obama administration. Tom coburn s annual wastebook may make politicians on both sides of the aisle squirm with discomfort. Nov 12, 2012 during his 17 years as a senator and representative, senator tom coburn rokla. Senator coburn has been a leader in looking for ways to cut unnecessary government spending including collaborating with thensenator obama on the coburnobama transparency act. Tom coburns annual wastebook, released wednesday oct. Although everyone in his office from interns on up contributes ideas, mr. Oct 22, 2014 the office of senator tom coburn released its fifth annual wastebook. Senator tom coburn, md rok passed away last weekend at the age of 72 after a. It documents extravagant federal government waste in a year. Several sources highlight federal misspending after.
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